Hearing from other like minded people. The wide variety of thoughts - and with it, a great source of information about sets that I probably otherwise wouldn't even have heard of. I love the group breaks people host (and I love hosting them). I love trading with folks - I've made what I consider true friends with some bloggers despite me never having met them face-to-face. I love knowing there are people out there who do good things for people (such as yourself hosting contests but also so many people who send things to someone else because they know that person will like the item). In general, I would say that the entire blogging process is so positive that it's a bit of a welcome respite from the trials and tribulations of "real life."

It's an outlet for a charge that I can't really take anywhere else. There aren't a ton of people looking to talk cards, so I have my blogger friends to handle it.

This may sound weird, but sometimes in the real world you meet people and become acquaintances, then as you become closer friends, you realize you can't stand that person. I don't think we get to that point in the blogworld, which is a great thing. We can be friends and be different, and it never gets weird.

Sense of community. I could not have the same conversations about cards when I was a kid as I can now that I'm a big boy, and being able to talk cards with other discerning collectors and make friends in the process is a treat.

I am just thrilled that I have found a few people that appreciate the inane thoughts that come out of my mind. In real life, there aren't too may people in my town that share my interests. I am happy that I found a little niche on the Internet that I can fit into.

It's just a great outlet for an antisocial loner wreck of a human being like me to talk about my favorite things, surrounded by like-minded, if significantly more functional and coherent, individuals. :)

The interactions through comments, emails, trading, and in a few cases in-person meetings, along of course with being able to share everything with everyone, and hopefully being useful as that process continues.

considering how insanely away from everything I am (I'm in France), it's pretty cool to interact with fellow collectors. But what I love the most is the overall generosity and to think of what to set aside for the others while opening packs of cards.

It keeps me interested in collecting. When I get new cards, instead of chucking them in a binder or box and showing no one, I can post on my blog. That majority of my posts are show and tells, but that's what keeps me going.

Like others have said, its a community. More like a family, all sharing a common bond. I actually enjoy reading other blogs more than writing mine, but I also like how it gives me an outlet, and for the most part, people seem to enjoy what I write.